A downstairs powder room is all too often decorated in exactly the same style as the room it happens to adjoin. In most home settings this means the rest room will have the same design as the hallway. However, there is no good reason that your corridor and powder room should share the same wallpaper and flooring. For the smallest room in the home, invest some thought into designing it just as you would for other living spaces. After all, your guests will be likely to pay the powder room a visit and a well designed one will make them feel comfortable in your home.

Brilliant Basins.

Most powder rooms will be short on space and have enough room for a toilet and wash hand basin only. Toilets don’t vary very much but by introducing a non-standard basin into your room’s design you can set the tone for the rest of the décor. If you find the right hand basin, that suits your tastes, it will be a good starting point for the rest of the design.

White porcelain hand basins are perfectly fine, but they are ubiquitous. Consider another material instead. Wood, plastics and brushed metal are all very good alternatives. And if you decide that you want to stick to the classic porcelain basin, why not go for a more unusual shape to make it a bit more of a feature?

Metal.

When you have little space to design in, a powder room’s pipe work may have to be on show. Boxing it in, to hide it, can take up valuable floor space. In such situations make a virtue of the necessity and accentuate what you would normally prefer to hide, like down pipes and waste pipes. Select brushed stainless steel faucet fixings and a towel rail that matches your basin’s waste pipe. Why not extend the idea and use metalwork for your basin, too? Chrome works well as an alternative to stainless steel.

Under The Stairs.

If your powder room is located under a stairwell it can be even more pushed for space than elsewhere. Don’t be put off a clear design ethos just because the ceiling may slope or because the room has an awkward corner to negotiate. Site the toilet at the place where headroom is most restricted. Keep the color scheme light in tone and hang a large mirror to give the feeling of more space. Another good tip it to install a hand wash basin that sits in a corner, so guests don’t have to squeeze past it.

Over Toilet Storage.

If you are pushed for space in your home’s smallest room, install some storage units on the wall above your toilet. Shelving units, placed one over the next, are the simplest idea. However, a simple closet, which you can close the door on, will hide away any untidiness.

Shelf Sinks.

Sinks and basins, that are recessed into a counter top, are quite commonplace and look just as good in a kitchen as they do in the smallest room. However, if you have sufficient space, why not go for a product that is both a counter top and a basin in one, a sort of shelf sink. These units give a very clean line that is pleasing to the eye and are easy to keep clean.

The Vintage Look.

To get the vintage rest room look, use an old piece of bedroom furniture. A distressed and antique looking chest of drawers makes for a great powder room storage unit. Either cut the back away so you can run pipe work through it or cut a hole in the top to recess your wash basin. Another classic counter top look, that evokes vintage charm, is to opt for a slab of marble, set against decorative tiling.

The Powder Room Library.

It is not for everyone, but a cozy rest room is made into an inviting place by giving it the additional function of an occasional library. A single shelf with a couple of magazines and easy reading books is enough, but if you like the idea, why not make it a mini reading room?

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.